


Call for Help

by james



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Grumpy!Danny, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Schmoop, Steve McGarrett is not subtle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-01
Updated: 2012-02-01
Packaged: 2017-10-30 10:59:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/331026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/james/pseuds/james
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Grace calls Uncle Steve for help when Danny's sick.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Call for Help

**Author's Note:**

  * For [embroiderama](https://archiveofourown.org/users/embroiderama/gifts).



Steve had just showered from his morning swim and was looking forward to spending the day working on his dad's car -- and pretending he wasn't just biding his time until he could call Danny and 'spontaneously' invite him and Grace over for dinner. He'd grabbed some steaks for the grill and was totally and completely not over-thinking what else to make with it. Green salad, or macaroni salad? And how many vegetables could he make before he risked having leftovers? Danny wasn't really the 'green veg' type and he still had no idea what Grace did and didn't eat. 

But he wasn't thinking about it, because it was only nine in the morning and he'd promised himself he wouldn't invite Danny and Grace over until at least three that afternoon. Maybe two.

Okay, he could _call_ at ten, but let Danny know they weren't really expected until-- His thoughts were interrupted by his cell ringing; the tone was Danny's. Grinning, he hurried into the living room and scooped up his phone. "Hey, Danno."

"It isn't Danno," came Grace's voice. She sounded worried -- Steve was already headed to grab his keys, he could use the landline to call Chin. HPD could be at Danny's place in five minutes, tops.

"Grace? What's wrong?" He tried to keep his voice calm, like Danny always did when he was dealing with kids who had every reason to be freaked out. It was hard when he was freaking out, himself.

"I'm not supposed to be calling you," she said, and her voice had dropped to a stage-whisper. Like as not Danny could still hear her, unless-- Steve cut off those thoughts. Then Grace said, "But I think you need to come over."

"I'm on my way, Grace. Can you tell me what happened?" Steve tucked the phone under his chin and grabbed his gun, tucking it into its holster. He paused just long enough inside the front door to grab an ankle sheath from the drawer and strapped it on. Then three seconds to get out the front door and lock it -- ignoring the open back door because there wasn't time and he didn't really _care_ if someone broke in. 

There was a short silence before Grace answered his question, and her voice had dropped to a real whisper. "I'm worried about Danno. He won't--" Then she yelped in surprise and Steve nearly lost his grip on the phone. 

"Grace!" He ran for the truck, leaping in and fumbling with the keys. He'd barely got them into the ignition when another voice came on the line.

"Steve?"

"Danny! What's going on?" Steve got the truck into gear, not caring if Danny was about to tell him this was all a joke. He'd go over and find out or he'd never be able to relax. There was always the chance Danny was about to say one of those code phrases that meant Steve would be leading a S.W.A.T. team into Danny's apartment soon.

"Nothing, sorry. Just someone seems to think that if I don't take two doses of children's tylenol I'm going to wither away."

Steve blinked. Then he realised that, yes, Danny's voice was rough and scratchy, and he sounded tired. "You're sick?"

"I'm not sick, I just have a _slight_ cold and I am not at all grumpy or ailing and I do not need to stay in bed and take my medicine." Danny sounded stern and amused, all at once, and Steve could only imagine the look he was giving his daughter.

Well, actually, Steve didn't have to imagine it because he was pretty sure he'd seen that look himself once or twice. Not that he'd ever done anything to deserve the 'stern' part. "Do you want me to pick up anything?" he asked as he turned at the corner and plotted his course, willing his heart-rate to slow down. There was a convenience store directly along the way, but if he needed more than Nyquil and a can of soup, he'd be better off taking a left up ahead and swinging by the grocery store.

"Excuse me, but I believe I said I didn't need--"

"I'm already on my way. Do you want soup? I can swing by Win's place and get some of their wonton soup. It always kicks my colds right out of my system. Great for unstuffing your sinuses." Steve was already making the turn necessary to go to Win's; he could even run across the street from there and get some cold medicine from Frank Wong's shop. Danny might bitch about Chinese medicines, but Steve knew they'd do the trick.

"What part of 'I am not sick' did you not understand?" Danny was asking.

"The part where your daughter called me and is worried about you," Steve replied. "So until I see for myself and reassure Grace that you're okay, you're just going to have to deal."

"Oh, for.... I see how it is. You two are in cahoots. Fine, fine, do whatever. I'm not taking anything that I can't pronounce, do you hear me?"

Steve grinned. "I'll teach you how to say it."

"For the record, you are both over-reacting, and neither of you is my favorite right now. Kono is my favorite."

Steve could hear Grace's voice, muffled, but her tone made Steve think she was giving Danny a cute look that said she knew exactly who Danny's favorite person would always be. There was a sigh, then Danny said, "Yes, I love you best. But Kono is still my favorite. Today."

Steve cleared his throat and Danny sighed again.

" _Yes,_ , that goes for you, too. Get enough soup or whatever for you and Grace as well, we might as well have lunch here. But don't get so much Grace'll ruin her appetite for dinner."

"You have plans for dinner?" Steve pulled the truck into the parking spot at Frank's shop, but hesitated before getting out. Danny hadn't mentioned anything, but-- Steve tried to ignore the clenched feeling in his stomach.

He could practically hear Danny's eyeroll. "Yes, we have plans. You're grilling something at your place. Just like every other weekend when I have Grace and you try to act like you aren't making stealth-plans ten days in advance. You are not subtle, McGarrett, you know that?"

Steve smiled, but he could hear how raspy Danny's voice was getting. "I'll be there in about fifteen," Steve told him. "Lie down and get some rest. Do you have any tea?"

"What are you, my mother? Yes, I have tea, but I'm not making any." Danny complained, but then there was a pause before Grace came back on the line.

"I'll make sure he lays down and Mommy taught me how to make tea," she said, sounding determined -- and frighteningly a lot like her father. "Can I have some tau sar bao, Uncle Steve?" 

Steve grinned as he heard her pronunciation -- nearly perfect. In the background he heard Danny complaining about what Steve was teaching her. "I will," he told her. "And I'll help you work on your Chinese while Danny has a nap."

"Okay! Xie xie," she added carefully, and Steve grinned as Danny's ranting grew sharper.

"Ten minutes," he told her, and finally hung up the phone.

Nine minutes later he was knocking on Danny's door and smiled at Grace when she let him in. He handed her the bag with the steamed buns and opened his mouth to ask where Danny was -- then spotted him, sound asleep on the couch. His cheeks were red and the rest of his skin was pale, and there was a trash can filled to the brim with used tissues beside him.

Steve gave Grace a knowing look, and she just nodded. "I'm glad you're here," she said, already pulling out a bun and taking a bite. "I'm not big enough to order him around yet."

There was a sleepy mumble from the couch, and Steve gave Grace a grin. Then he tiptoed over and crouched down, face on level with Danny's. Danny opened one bloodshot eye and glared at him half-heartedly. "Good thing you aren't sick," Steve said. 

"I still hate you both," Danny muttered, and he closed his eye again.


End file.
